A 35-year-old sex worker died after an acid attack by another sex worker over professional rivalry, said police.

Police arrested 52-year-old Radha, a native of Kattakkada near Thiruvananthapuram. Shalini, a native of Pathanamthitta, died in hospital on Friday. Radha wanted to disfigure Shalini and attacked her when she was with a customer in Kottayam city on Friday, said police.

“Radha approached Shalini with the container filled with acid. Radha was wearing a dhoti and shirt over her sari. Seeing her, the man got up. The acid container hit his shoulder and fell on Shalini’s face. The acid went inside her mouth. Post-mortem revealed that half-a-litre acid had gone into her stomach, leading to her death,’’ said Deputy Police Superintendent V Ajith.

Police tracked down the customer who sustained minor injuries. The customer, Bilal, told police the assaulter had long hair. Police grilled other sex workers. Evidence and examination of mobile phone calls helped police zero-in on Radha, who confessed to the crime.

“Radha had no intention to kill Shalini, only disfigure her,’’ said Ajith. The body of the mother of two kids was not claimed by her family. Radha is in judicial custody.